Flooring installation and refinishing in downtown and midtown Toronto

Old houses, honest floors

Walk into almost any bay-and-gable semi in Cabbagetown or the Annex and you can feel the floor fall away toward the shared wall. These houses were mostly built between about 1870 and 1900, as doubles and rows on narrow, deep lots. Their joists have carried families, radiators and renovations for well over a century. Flooring here starts with accepting that, then deciding how much of it to correct.

That is why our measure in the old city takes longer than it does in a newer suburb. We check the slope across each room, look for soft spots near old plumbing runs, and lift a vent cover or a carpet corner to see what is underneath.

What is usually under the carpet

Edwardian houses from the early 1900s, common in Riverdale and north of Queen in Leslieville, often hide narrow strip oak or softwood under wall to wall carpet. In many cases it can be sanded and refinished instead of torn out. Publicly quoted Toronto ranges seen in October 2026 put a full sand and finish at about $4.75 to $7.50 per sq ft, and a screen and recoat at about $2.50 to $4.00 (Ecowoods). Your own price depends on the floor, so we give you an itemized quote after we see it.

When boards are too thin, cracked or patched with mismatched wood, we can replace sections, weave in reclaimed boards, or recommend floor repair before any finishing.

Slopes, dips and what we put in writing

There is a difference between a house that leans and a floor that rolls. A steady lean usually stays. Short dips and humps cause squeaks, open joints and click floors that flex. We record what we find, explain the options (shimming, sistering a joist through a carpenter, or levelling compound) and write a levelling allowance on the quote [CONFIRM amount]. If more appears once the old floor is up, we stop and show you photos before doing anything extra.

Stairs, deliveries and the street

Steep, turning stairs are part of the charm and part of the job. We check the route from the front door to each floor so plank length and delivery fit the house. If your project calls for a disposal bin on the street or lane, the City needs a Street Occupation Permit, so we plan around that before the start date. Old stair treads also tend to need attention, and our staircase work is often booked with the floors.

Midtown towers

Around Yonge and Eglinton, the work is different: concrete slabs, acoustic rules that vary by condo corporation, and elevator time booked in advance. Our guide to condo flooring in Toronto covers the usual board requests. Most owners there pick a rigid vinyl or engineered hardwood that suits the slab and the underlay the board requires.

If you live just across the old boundary in East York or York, the houses change and so does our approach. Either way, the first step is a free measure and written quote.